Golf tee



Nov. 1, 1927. 1,647,440

F. O. FISH GOLF TEE Filed Dec. 1. 1925 Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

LMLMH PATENT OFFICE.

FRED O. FISH, 0F WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

GOLF TEE.

Application filed December Many substitutes for the small mound of sand constituting the ordinary golf tee have been suggested, but with few exceptions these substitute devices have met with little favor. The most successful of these devices from a business standpoint have been of that type which consist essentially of a peg pointed at one end to enter the ground and shaped at the upper end to support a golf ball. An early example of this type of tee is disclosed in the patent to Grant No. 638,920, dated December 12, 1899. i I

The present invention relates to golf tees of the peg type above referred to and has for its object the production of an improved tee of this type which can be manufactured at a small. fraction of the cost of production of tees heretofore devised. Also in addition to an extremely low cost of manufacture the present invention provides certain advantages as to durability and use while entirely eliminating any possibility of injury to the players clubs or green keepers tools.

In accordance with thepresent invention,

a golf tee is formed from a blank of sheet material which .is rolled into a cone and which is provided at the cone apex with a sharp point and at the cone base with a ball supporting surface or rim. The cone is of the proper length to support the ball at the desired distance from the ground when the cone is pushed into the ground a suflicient distance to cause itto stand firmly in place and is sufficiently slender to penetrate the ground for some distance without requiring an undue amount of pressure to force it into position. Between thepoint of the cone and I the ball supporting base the wall of the cone is stiff enough to withstand the pressure excrted on the base in forcing the cone into the ground. The blank may be of any suitable material, but preferably a paper blank is used-and in order to give the wall sufficient strength and rigidity, the blank is rolled in r such a manner that the wall is formed of a plurality of thicknesses of the blank. When the wall of the cone is formed of a plurality of thicknesses, the point at the cone apex is preferably formed by substantially one thickness of the blank. To provide a pleasing finish for the base of the cone, and also to provide a smoother surface against which the thumb may be pressed in forcing the cone into the ground, as well as to afford a more secure support for the ball, the cone base is preferably formedwith an outward 1, 1925. Serial No. 72,509.

ing, or after the rolling operation, the essential feature being that in the completed article the blank is of such shape that a sharp point has been formed at the cone apex and a ball supporting surface at the cone base.

A golf tee embodying a preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and also a blank from which the cone is formed and a way in which the tee may be formed from this blank.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1. is a plan view of the flat blank; Fig. 2 is a view of the blank positioned in relation to a winding mandrel on which the blank may be rolled; Fig. 3 is view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the condition of the blank after the mandrel has had nearly one rotation; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the condition of the blank after the mandrel has been given approximately two rotations;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the condition of the blank after it has been completely rolled about the mandrel; Fig. 6 is a detailed view partly in section illustrating a way in which the base of the cone can be flared; Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the completed tee and Fig. 8 is a cross sectiona]. view of the tee on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

The blank 2 illustrated in the drawings is ofgeneral sector shape being substantially semi-circular, the curvature at the right hand side of the blank, as shown, however, being on a shorter radius than the curvature at the left hand side of the blank. A reason for shaping the blank in this manneris to cause the leading end of-the curved edge of the blank to lie somewhat below the base of the cone inthe completed tee and to cause the final end of the curved edge of the blank to come substantially flush with the base of the cone. To form the blank into a cone having a sharp point the blank is rolled about a conical mandrel indicated at 4, the blank being positioned with relation to the mandrel so that the straight side of the blank passes through a polnt substantially at the intersection of the axis and side elemerits of the conical mandrel. The mandrel may be split as indicatedat 6 to receive the blank and hold the blank from displacement while it is being rolled about the mandrel. At the start of the operation, the blank may be positioned with relation to the mandrel .3 indicated in Fig. 2. The mandrel is now collapsed so as to pinch the blank and is rotated to cause the blank to be wound on the mandrel. its thefwinding progresses the axis of the mandrel with relation to the blank Will assume approximately the positions indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 at 8, 10, and 12. As a result of this, the cone will be formed with a sharp point as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 consisting of substantially me thickness of the blankvvhile the wall of the cone will be formed of substantially three thicknesses of the blank. The blank is preferably of paper of suitable thickness and may be coated on the upper side as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 with gum, glue, or othersuitable adhesive. During the Windiug operation and preferably when the parts are in the position indicated in Fig. 3, the summed surface of the blank should be noistened so that, as the winding is continued, the layers of the blank will be firmly cemented together. It will be understood, of course, that during the winding operation a suitable amount of pressure is applied to the outer surface of the blank at the mandrel.

To produce the tee in its final form with an outwardly flaring base as indicated at 14: in 7, the wall of the cone at its base may be molded outwardly either during the winding or rolling operation or after the blank has been rolled into the complete cone form indicated in Fig. 5.' This molding operation may be performed by pressing or spinning, an operation which is substantially that of spinning; being indicated in Fig. 6. As indicated in this figure, the outwardly flaring portion 14 at the base of the cone may be formed by drawingthe mandrel with the completed cone thereon backwardly through a stripper plate 16 and simultaneously rotating the mandrel, the edge of the stripper pl'ate around the opening for the mancrel being bent outwardly so as to form a spinning; implement to turn outwardly the wall of the cone at its base.

This flaring operation is preferably performed while the blank is somewhat in temper due to the moistening of the blank as it was rolled about the mandrel,

To give the completed tee additional strengthand rigidity and also to protect it from the action of. moisture, the tee may be provided with a protective and stiffening coating of shellac, nitro cellulose laquer or other suitable substance, by dipping and drying or any other suitable method.

In the completed tee it will be noted, as

I nea'aaeo clearly shown in lfig. 8, that a portion of the blank extends diametrically across the intorior of the tee. This feature gives added strength to the tee and inasmuch as its up per edge lies within the base of the tee does not interfere with the proper support of the ball.

Thetee which has been above described can be inanu.facturcd at an extremely low cost as compared with the cost of inuhufaw ture of devices of this clnurarlcr which have heretofore been devised. From the playefs standpoint and also from the greenkce icr s standpoint the tee has many obvious advantages. Among these may be noted the fact thatwhile the tees are sulliciently rigid to withstand insertion in the ground and will. firmly support the ball. nevertheless they will yield readily when struck by the golf club and sprinp' back into shape. By no possibility, therefore, can any injury result to the club head from the use of these tees and the tees can be used over and over again. it this is considered desirable, although the cost of the tees is so small that the ordinary golfer will consider such re-use unnecessary. The tees are light, take up very little room, and if desired can be nested one within the other. If left in position in the ground they occasion no annoyance to the greenkeeper since they are readily cut to pieces if caught in the blades of the grass cutter.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated and a pre ferred form having been specifically described, what is claimed is 1. A golf tee consisting" of a blank of sheet material rolled into cone form, having" a sharp point at the cone apex formed by substantially one thickness of the blank, :1 ball supporting surface at the cone base and a wall formed by a plurality of thicknesses of the blank between the apex and the base.

2. A golf tee consisting); of a paper blank rolled into cone form, having a sharp point at the cone apes: formed by substantially one thickness of the blank, a hall supporting surface at the cone base and a wall between the apex and the base formed by substantially three thicknesses of the blank.

8. A olf tee consisting of a paper blank rolled into cone form. having; a sharp point at the cone apex, a ball supporting surface at the cone base, a stiff wall between the apex and the base and a protective and stiff eninr coating.

4. A golf tee consisting: of a paper blank rolled into cone form having a wall formed of a lurality of thicknesses of the blank, a. sharp point at the cone apex forn'ied by a less number of thicknesses of the blank. and a ball supporting surface at the cone base.

5. A golf tee consisting of a paper blank rolled into cone form having, a wall formed of a plurality of thicknesses of the blank. :1

till

l till sharp point at the cone apex formed by a less number of thicknesses of the blank and an outwardly flaring ball supporting surface at the cone base.

6. A golf tee consisting of a paper blank rolled into cone form having a sharp point at the cone apex, a ball supporting surface at the cone base and a stifi Wall extending from the apex to the base formed by a plum rality of thicknesses of the blank.

7. A golf tee consisting of a paper blank rolled into cone form having a sharp point at the cone apex, a ball supporting surface at the cone base and a stiff Wall extending from the apex to the base formed by a plurality of thicknesses of the blank, and an outwardly flaring ball supporting surface at the cone base.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FRED O. FISH. 

